12 members of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), who had been in detention since May 24, 2021, were released from prison custody on Thursday following a ruling by the Ebonyi State High Court, marking a significant legal victory after nearly four years behind bars.
This was made known by the legal counsel to the IPOB, Barrister Ifeanyi Ejiofor, in a statement posted on his Facebook page on Thursday.
The detainees, part of a larger group of 36 arrested in 2021, were discharged and acquitted in previous court rulings.
However, they remained in detention due to delays in enforcing the judgements. Their release came after the Ebonyi State Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) formally withdrew the most recent charges against them, in recognition of earlier judicial pronouncements.
“This victory follows a formal application by the Ebonyi State Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), who, in acknowledgement of repeated judicial pronouncements, withdrew the latest charge filed against these 12 individuals,” Ejiofor wrote.
Barrister Ejiofor, who described the development as “a long-overdue respect for the rule of law,” personally oversaw the release process and confirmed that prison authorities complied promptly with the court’s directive to hand over the detainees to him.
“Our legal team remains relentless and fully committed to securing the freedom of the remaining detainees—men who have also been discharged and acquitted by no fewer than four different High Courts in Ebonyi State,” he added.
While 12 of the detainees are now free, the fate of the remaining individuals still hangs in the balance. Ejiofor expressed optimism, stating, “Their release is no longer a matter of if but when, and that moment draws closer by the day.”
He concluded the statement with a firm reaffirmation: “Justice may be delayed, but it shall not be denied. Freedom must prevail.”
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